


Follow Your Heart

by SaraiNomed



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Family Drama, Friendship/Love, Romance, Unplanned Pregnancy, also there's james' parents because I love me some drama, and then Jessie catches babies, i don't know how to tag, if you'd read the prequel 'listen to your heart' you'd know this, the trio starts a business, yes meowth is a persian now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 12:08:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14080611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraiNomed/pseuds/SaraiNomed
Summary: The long-awaited sequel to 'Listen to Your Heart' is finally here! As the misadventures of LtYH end, the real trials are just beginning. Where to go when you've made a name for yourself the world over? What do you do to make an honest living now that your former career is kaput? And what happens when another team member is thrown into the mix? That white tomorrow is close, but maybe not quite here yet.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yes this is indeed the sequel to 'Listen to Your Heart', so if you haven't read that yet I suggest you do, because some things in here will not make sense otherwise. That being said, this story can still be enjoyed on it's own, you'll just miss some of the references.   
> There's really not much in the way of warnings or precautions I need to give (except for le smut which I feel is covered in the 'mature' rating) so please enjoy!

The midday sun shimmered off the wings of the landing plane as it touched down on the runway, the tires on it's landing gear squealing lightly. Coming to a stop, the stairs were lowered and it's passengers scrambled off in an orderly chaos, grabbing their waiting luggage, greeting loved ones, or just trying to get their bearings. Near the back of the crowd, two human passengers and their Pokemon quietly picked up what luggage they had and starting picking their way through the throng as they made their way into the airport terminal. No one greeted them. No one seemed to even notice them, which suited them just fine. Passing through the large, sliding glass doors above which the words "Welcome to Goldenrod City" were printed in gleaming gold times, they made their way to an empty row of benches in a quiet back corner and dropped their luggage before flopping onto said benches.

They were silent for a minute before Jessie spoke up, "Well. Here we are."

A little over a week earlier, the trio were sitting in James and Persian's tiny cabin, Jessie pacing behind James as he sat on the couch with his laptop and tapped away at the keys, a look of concentration on his face. That concentration was broken, however, when Jessie again leaned over his shoulder to peer at the screen.

"Well?!" she asked.

He paused mid-word and tilted his head back to look at her with a sigh, "For the fifth time Jessie; no. It's not that easy to break into encoded police records, you know."

"But you always made it look easy."

Going back to typing he said, "I haven't done this for a while. Excuse me for being a bit rusty. I'm almost in, I think..."

"You're certainly up to par in other areas, I've discovered." she purred into his ear, enjoying the shade of red his face swiftly turned.

He paused yet again and coughed, "If you want me to hurry, stop distracting me!"

A rough voice from above them chimed in, "Yeah Jess! Ah'm curious ta know too!"

Persian stood and stretched, slinking down the short ladder leading from the lower floor to the loft sleeping area where he had been napping and sunning himself.

He hopped onto the couch next to James, "...Well?"

Ignoring his feline friend, James continued his efforts, "Almost got it..." he suddenly clapped his hands, "We're in! Okay, let's see now..."

It was couple days after their accidental take-down of the plot involving their former teammates and Team Aqua, and after several unsuccessful attempts to badger Officer Deryl for information (to the point where the man had threatened to arrest them for harassment of an officer-only half seriously, they had hoped), the curiosity became too much and the trio had decided to take matters into their own hands. Thus James had been spending the better part of a half-hour trying to break into the local police department's computer system for the answers they sought.

He muttered half to himself, skimming over the typical, mundane roster of illicit activity, from public drunkenness and indecency to petty theft before finally coming upon what they were looking for.

"Sonuva-!" he yelped, eyes widening, "You guys are going to want to hear this..."

Jessie and Persian swiftly gathered close as James began to read the reports aloud, "Thursday night, a number of members of the organized crime syndicates known as Team Rocket and Team Aqua, along with several leaders of the aforementioned groups, were arrested on suspicion of possession of illegal cargo and counterfeit money, along with intent to trade said goods for the purpose of profit and continued trade. Huh. Looks like they were working together to fund and divvy up all those Pokeballs for their own purposes."

"Where does it mention us?" wondered Persian.

Jessie grinned, "Where's the part where we heroically confronted them?!"

James waved a hand impatiently, "Hold on, hold on! I'm getting to that..." his eyes scanned the rest of the long, detailed report before they fell upon another important tidbit, "...several members of both gangs evaded arrest and are still at large. Several others were killed when they refused to surrender peacefully and subsequently fired upon the officers present. Among those killed are..." he swallowed hard, "Captain Arnold L. Brinks, decorated military member and leader of the high-altitude base and research facility Fort Johton for the past fifteen years..."

The trio looked at each other, Jessie clenching her fists, simultaneously relishing the fact he was dead and at the same time feeling slightly queasy over the fact she was actually happy at another human being's violent death. Sensing this, James reached out and brushed his hand across her cheek with an understanding nod.

Continuing along, James read, "...although the pieces are yet to be fully analyzed, from initial studies it appears that the purpose of these experimental Pokeballs is to capture and essentially 'brain-wash' any target Pokemon, increasing their aggression levels and..."

He trailed off as both humans glanced at Persian, remembering how after he had only briefly been inside one of them his personality had been completely subjugated, becoming vicious and forgetting who he was as well as them. The cat Pokemon's ears drooped slightly as he guessed their thoughts, and Jessie gently scratched him under his chin, flashing him a sympathetic smile.

Going back to the report, James continued farther down the page, "Ah! Here we are! ...Two local citizens, two humans and their Persian 'mascot', who identify themselves only as 'Jenny' and 'Jacob' and claim to be 'superheroes', provided the information leading to the arrest of the suspects. As such they have been granted the standing reward money for the above-mentioned information...hey!"

"What?" asked Jessie.

James folded his arms and huffed, "That's it! That's the only information on us! And after everything we did!"

"Dat's not fair!" Persian protested.

Jessie shook her head, "Talk about ingratitude! We risked our lives and all we get is a foot-note! That's the 'right' side of the law for you, I guess."

Stretching his aching shoulders, James said flatly, "That was a lot of work for nothing."

"Speakin' a' woik, when we gonna get dis business venture a' ours of te ground-literally?" asked Persian.

With a casual flick of her hand, Jessie replied as she walked to the kitchen area, "Oh, we've got plenty of money and plenty of time. Let's hit the carnival again today! I want to win a-"

A sudden, sharp knock at the door startled them and caused them all to jump. Growing impatient as he waited for them to do something, Persian finally padded over to the door upon the second round of knocks and reached with his front paws to open it.

To their further surprise, Officer Deryl stood in the doorway, "Morning, heroes. May I come in?"

As quickly but nonchalantly as possible, James snapped the laptop shut and slid it onto the crate coffee-table before standing, "Oh! Um, hi officer! G-good morning! Sure, come in!"

He did so, shutting the door behind him and taking a seat at the dining table, "Well, how's it going?"

Something about this visit felt slightly off, but Jessie tried to brush the notion aside as she cheerfully answered, "G-great! We were just finishing breakfast and talking about our plans for the day! Can we get you some coffee?"

Deryl waved a hand, "I've already had enough to keep me awake for a week, but thanks."

Jessie slipped over to the couch, catching James' eye as she sat down with her own coffee mug and hissing softly, "You put your actual address on those forms?!"

James shrugged and mouthed back, "I couldn't think of a fake one fast enough okay?!"

Joining his human friends, Persian asked their guest, "So what's wit dis unexpected visit?"

Deryl's eye-brows shot up, "Sonuvabitch! I wasn't imagining things! You can talk. That's...remarkable, actually."

"Why tank you! I know I am!" Persian puffed out his chest.

Clearing his throat, Deryl rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward slightly, "I'm here for a couple reasons. One was honestly just to say hello and see how you were doing, probably thank you again for helping us nab those guys. So, thanks."

"Just another day for us!" said James, still keeping up their facade.

"Secondly, I was curious to know if you guys had any plans for that reward money."

Jessie quickly piped up, "We were thinking a vacation, somewhere nice, you know? After that, maybe start our own shop! That'd be cool!"

"Very cool!" added James.

Deryl nodded slowly. Finally his face hardened, and Jessie felt her stomach sink, thinking that maybe she had been right after all.

Exhaling loudly, Deryl ran a hand through his short brown hair, slight streaks of gray beginning to show, "Lastly...I really need to talk to you, Jenny and Jacob...or should I say, Jessie and James?"

A pin drop would have been loud in the silence that followed. The trio froze, unsure of whether to deny it, run, or just sit and wait to see what Deryl's next move would be. Jessie tightened her grip on her mug, ready to bash him across the head and make a break for it if they needed to.

All manner of friendliness gone, Deryl stared them down, "I did a little digging. Turns out that Rocket was right about you lot. I was surprised, believe me," he leaned back a little, knowing he had them trapped for the moment, "I'm none too happy about it. But you know what's weird? I'm not sure if I'm more upset about the fact that you lied to me, or that that jackass was telling the truth. I gotta be honest; I liked you guys. And I don't know why, but I still kind of do."

Finally James dared to speak up, "We um, we-"

Deryl raised a finger and James snapped his mouth shut again, "Don't want to hear it."

He stood, circling the couch and further making them feel trapped, "Here's the deal, my 'heroes'; I ought to arrest you, toss you in a jail cell and let you rot. You've got quite the impressive rep sheet. Multiple accounts of theft, arson, breaking and entering, kidnapping of both people and Pokemon, one count of stalking...it's enough to put you away for quite a while."

Hoping to gain some mercy, or at least time, Persian said, "But we ain't wit dem anymore! We've changed, we-"

Again, Deryl raised a finger to shush him, ignoring what he had said, "On the other hand, there's the fact that without your help, I'm quite certain we would have never caught those guys, and in the scheme of things they were the much bigger fish that needed frying. So, in light of all this, and against my better judgment, not to mention all my training, I'm going to make a deal with you."

"Which is...?" Jessie ventured, still gripping her mug.

Here Deryl's stony composure softened ever so slightly as his gaze flicked between them, "I'm giving you a twelve hour head start to get out of here," he glanced at his watch, "Starting now. Pack what you can, do what you must, and get the hell out of my city. I'm going to have the entire force on the lookout for you. If you're still within city limits when that twelve hours is up, you're toast. Are we clear?"

The trio only nodded, and Deryl sighed, again running a hand through his already messy hair as he made his way to the door.

Letting himself out, without turning around he paused in the doorway, and before shutting it behind him said, "One last thing...use that reward money wisely. Do something worthwhile, alright? ...Good luck."

They sat perfectly still for several moments, still in shock over what had just happened. Finally they all sprang back to life, scrambling about and trying to pack up as much as they could, panicking and talking over each other.

Stuffing his clothes into a couple suitcases James yelped, "Where are we going to go?!"

"I dunno but it's gotta be far from here!" called Persian as he emptied the contents of their food pantry into several bags.

As she helped him Jessie said, "We can't just get out of this city-we have to get out of this region altogether!"

Pausing, Persian wondered, "But...where we headed? We're probably wanted in every region der is!"

Subconsciously slipping back into her traditional role as leader, Jessie answered firmly, "We'll head back to my apartment in Lilycove and figure things out from there!"

A short time later they had everything that could be easily be transported packed up and ready to go. Jessie and Persian were grabbing the last of it and were stuffing it into her car when James, having tossed the last bags to them, paused in the doorway of the first real home he had known in years. Staring inside, he looked over every nook and cranny, remembering the day he and Persian had first set foot, or paw, inside. It had been a cold, harsh day in early spring when they had signed on with Gus and had been granted this tiny, drafty shack as part of their contract. The pair had worked hard for the next couple months to make it more homely, sealing up cracks and holes, repairing damaged siding and slowly making it their own. He noted the spot where he had crushed his thumb with a hammer while trying to fix a broken board, and Persian had licked his wound until he stopped swearing at it, the spot where they had sealed a former Rattata hole, telling the disgruntled Pokemon they had to move on...he swallowed hard as his eyes fell upon the couch where he and Jessie had made love only a few days ago. Her breathless cries as she rode him to ecstasy rang in his memory. Suddenly her hand fell upon his arm and he was jerked from his reminiscing as he turned to her.

She raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"N-nothing...I just," he looked away, "I'm gonna miss this place. This is, was, my home..."

The profound sadness in his green eyes struck a chord in her heart, as she had been trying to forget that she too was going to have to abandon her apartment, a place she had begun to feel truly attached to.

Squeezing his arm, she said softly, "We'll find another home...we'll make one. Together."

His spirit lifting a bit, he quickly kissed her cheek and said, "You're right. Let's go."

As they piled into Jessie's rented car, she barely waited for them to buckle their seat belts before stomping the gas pedal and starting to zip away.

They barely got half a block, however, before Persian's eyes suddenly widened and he cried, "STOP! WAIT!"

Jessie slammed the brakes, causing them to lurch forward with James nearly knocking his head off of the dashboard and she spun in her seat intending to ask what was wrong.

"In all de excitement I almost forgot about my friends!" Persian continued before his companions had a chance to question his outburst, "I ain't gonna have a chance ta say goodbye! Dey'll tink I died or am mad at 'em or somethin'."

"Wait-what friends?" asked Jessie, an edge to her voice, impatient to get out of there.

James explained with a slight shake of his head, "The group of wild Meowth and Persian he hangs out with? Remember...?"

"Oh...right," she said, "Well, do you know where they live?"

Persian's ears drooped, "Not really. Dey kinda live all over de place..."

Nodding, James got out of the car and trotted back toward the cabin, Jessie calling after him. A minute later he returned with a wrinkled piece of paper and a pen.

"Alright Persian," he explained, "The best we can do is leave them a note where they'll be sure to find it-you guys usually meet out back, right?"

"Yeah."

James smoothed the piece of paper as much as possible against the roof of the car and said, "Okay pal, tell me what you want to say and I'll write it down."

It was late evening when they finally arrived in Lilycove City. The streets were already thinning as they approached the newer, swanky apartment building where Jessie rented a unit. Zipping into her assigned spot, which was usually empty as she didn't actually own her own car, Jessie jumped out and trotted to the building's entrance, swiftly unlocking the door as her companions admired their surroundings. The building was large and in the newest architectural style, bordered by lush, tall shrubs and impeccable landscaping. The numerous blooms bobbed in the balmy night breeze, their heady scent drifting through the warm air.

"Heh, dis is quite de place, Jess!" said Persian.

Without turning she replied, "And I worked hard to afford it, too. Now c'mon!'

Entering her apartment, Jessie immediately darted for her bedroom, grabbing her suitcase and throwing it on the bed...then paused as she lamented over what clothes to pack and what to leave. James and Persian made themselves comfortable, Persian nosing around the apartment before stepping outside to enjoy the view from her balcony. James almost immediately settled himself on the couch, flipping open his laptop and furiously tapping in commands.

A short time later, Jessie emerged, dragging her over-stuffed suitcase and upon seeing James asked, "What are you up to?"

Without looking up he said, "Research-on us."

"Oh?"

He finally glanced up from his work as Persian sauntered back into the room and sighed, "I've been going through regional police records and looking for mentions of us to try and find the safest place for us to head to. We're still wanted, sadly, from here to Kalos. Kanto is too close to Team Rocket headquarters for comfort...so that leaves us-"

"With Johto." Jessie concluded.

Persian cocked his head, "But what about all de trouble we caused dere?"

James smiled at him, "According to the records, we are officially listed as 'missing, presumed dead', which means it's out best shot at going unnoticed, and even starting out with a clean slate."

"But which city do we head to?" asked Jessie, "I can't live in some of those back-woods towns they have!"

James wagged a finger, "Been checking into that too. It seems that Pokemon Contests have spread in popularity, even to regions where they were previously almost non-existent. All that new activity brings a lot of people, especially tourists who need transportation, and the heart of this new phenomenon is Goldenrod City!"

Jessie's eyes lit up, "Goldenrod?! Why, that's the most glamorous, delightful place in the whole region!"

"Don't forget huge. And confusin'..." Persian reminded them.

"There's maps for that," Jessie sniffed, "This is perfect; we can start anew! Build our own business, carve out our own niche...with the money we have it'll be a breeze! But first..." she went to a sleek glass desk in a corner of the living room, and grabbing a piece of paper and a pen began to hastily scribble a note, "I have to let the landlord know that I'm making...an emergency move. Family needs help. There was an accident, or something-yeah, an accident sounds good. I already payed until the end of the month so that's one less thing-there we go!"

Folding it to stuff in a jacket pocket, she turned to her companions, "Alright team, are we ready to go?"

"What about all your stuff, Jess?" asked James, looking around at the furniture and incidental objects.

Hoisting her suitcase, she replied, "I've got all the important things in here. I can get a new blender, but I can't find tres chic clothes like these again!"

"Always good ta see yer priorities are in order." muttered Persian.


	2. Delays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things can never be simple, can they?

Her companions already ahead of her in the hallway, Jessie started to close the door but as James had done, paused with her hand on the knob and took a last look inside. Though she had sworn on the ride over she wasn't going to get all sentimental, she found herself remembering the day she had first gotten her key and joyfully set foot in here. It had been lovely even then, with newer furniture and the doors to the balcony left open to let the warm spring breeze inside. She had been too busy with work much of the time to really spend time redecorating, but bit by bit she had made it her own. There was the painting she had bought from a local artist, the stain on the carpet from the paint she had spilled while trying to re-do the living room, the gilded-frame mirror she had found by the side of the road and loved so much she took it home...the spot by the window where she used to stand and stare out over the city, wondering if James and Persian were okay. Now here she was, abandoning this little gem and moving on to places unknown, all that work for naught. Her hand gripped the knob harder.

James turned around to see her staring inside, her face a swirl of different emotions. Walking back, he gingerly lay one hand on her shoulder and she snapped out of her trance with a tiny gasp, whipping her head to look at him.

"We'll find another home...together." he said reassuringly, echoing her own words to him.

Her shoulders relaxed, a soft smile across her face, "Thank you."

After slipping her keys wrapped in the note she had written under the door of the landlord's office, they made their way to the airport, ditching the car in the parking garage, a note taped to the windshield with instructions to have it returned to a certain Mr. Langer's Insurance company.

They entered the airport, still leafing through the handful of brochures they had picked up earlier that day and finalizing which lovely beach-side resort they wanted to visit. It was late enough that the lobby was nearly empty, a few sleepy passengers dozing on the rows of benches as they awaited their next flight, several others standing near the doors and waiting for their cabs. An announcement for the arriving flight to Celadon City crackled over the PA system, and a couple of the people on the benches got to their feet and shuffled toward their terminal. The trio had found themselves an out-of-the-way corner to finalize their choices.

"Dis one has all ya can eat buffets every day!" Persian marveled, his words slightly muffled from holding one of the papers in his mouth.

"But this one has complimentary spa services!" replied Jessie.

James held up one of the brochures, "This one had both."

"Well, that settles that then!" said Jessie cheerfully, flinging the rest of them into the nearest trash can, "Let's go get our tickets!"

They approached the ticket counter, dragging their suitcases. The young lady they found themselves facing ignored them for several moments until Jessie, growing impatient, coughed and 'er-hem-d' loudly, and the girl finally looked up from her phone at them.

"Can I help you?" she dully asked.

"Two tickets to Coral Paradise Resort in the southern Orange Islands!" Jessie said.

Persian's ears flattened, "Two?" he muttered.

"Pokemon don't count for seats-be happy you're flying for 'free'." James whispered quickly.

The girl sighed and began tapping away at her keyboard, and after mere moments said with an equal lack of enthusiasm as she looked back up, "I'm sorry but we don't have any direct-flight seats available for several days."

"What?!" fumed Jessie, hitting one fist on the counter, "You're telling me that of all the planes leaving for that area there isn't a single one that has seats for us?!"

With a slight eye-roll, the girl replied, "No. I'm so very sorry."

Jessie whirled around to her partners with that furious gleam in her eyes that said that they'd all better think of something, and fast. Persian shrugged hopelessly and turned his attention to a small flock of Murkrow perching on the shrubs outside, wondering if he was fast enough to catch one. James swallowed nervously and tapped his chin, then clicked his fingers as a far-fetched, but plausible, idea came to him.

"Play along!" he murmured into Jessie's ear, then stepped up to the counter himself.

It was at this point that James noticed the girl's name-tag read 'Katy', and addressed her coolly, drumming his fingers on the counter-top, "Pardon me; Katy?"

Looking up again, her expression more sour than ever, she grumbled, "Yes?"

"Do you have any idea whom you've just so rudely snubbed?" he said sternly, crossing his arms.

Katy blinked, "No?"

Clearing his throat and gesturing dramatically toward Jessie, James announced, "You don't know?! For shame! Why, this is the world-renowned and incredibly talented actress and fashion diva Ms. Jezzelle!" he leaned in, "She's in disguise for security reasons-everywhere we go she's mobbed by hordes of adoring fans but you've forced my hand and put her in jeopardy! I hope you're happy!"

Katy's eyes widened, and she peered over the top of the counter at Jessie, who quickly assumed her best 'diva' pose and sighed loudly, tapping her foot while studying her nails, "I was hoping for a peaceful, smooth trip for once but I guess that's just too much to ask for!"

Becoming more and more flustered, the young lady stammered, "I-I'm sorry I had no idea-!"

Jessie bit her lip, trying not to laugh as James continued, "As her manager it's my job to make sure she's safe, happy, and has everything she needs. And right now she needs those tickets...if you can swing something I'm sure we can forgive and forget this whole, ugly incident."

Katy was already furiously typing away on her computer. James glanced over his shoulder at Jessie and winked, a smug grin across his face. Still trying not to laugh, she mouthed, 'You're the best!' back at him. A minute later Katy looked back up at them.

"I can get you two tickets on Pidgeot Lines, Flight 331. It leaves in an hour. That's the best I can manage-will that be okay?"

James sighed theatrically and ran a hand through his hair, "I suppose it'll have to do! Although..." he paused, hoping he wasn't pushing their luck too much, "Ms. Jezzelle would much appreciate it if you could get us a discount, too."

A couple minutes later Katy printed out their tickets and James quickly handed over the greatly-reduced money for them. As they hauled themselves down the gleaming, tiled hallways toward their terminal Jessie finally spoke up with a bark of laughter when they were out of ear-shot.

"That was brilliant!"

James puffed out his chest with pride, "Thank you, thank you!"

"How long ya tink it's gonna take her ta realize dere ain't no Ms. Jezzelle?" wondered Persian.

"Who cares?" said Jessie as she plunked herself onto a bench once they reached their assigned area, "By the time she does, we'll be long gone!"

They made it to their destination without further incident, and spent the next week enjoying the beach, stuffing their faces, and generally living it up.

"So," James wondered aloud one day as they lay side-by-side on their beach chairs, "When we get back to Goldenrod...what's our first move?"

Jessie took a long sip of her drink, licking her lips with a satisfied sigh before answering, "We have plenty of time on the flight there to talk about it. Let's just enjoy ourselves for the time being."

"Fair enough," James stretched his arms, folding them behind his head and glanced toward a nearby cluster of palm trees, "Hmm. Those three certainly are!"

Arbok and Weezing were dozing in the cool, dense shade of those palm trees, relishing this vacation as much as their trainers. Arbok was coiled up with his head resting on a patch of grass, with Weezing cozily settled in the center of the spiral his body formed. Persian had vacated his own chair several minutes prior to join them, curling up in a ball with his head resting on Arbok's tail. Raising her sunglasses, Jessie followed his gaze to the little group and grinned.

Her and James caught each others eye and they cooed in teasing unison, "Awwww!"

In addition to relaxing on the beach, enjoying the spa, and eating to their hearts content, the two humans also spent a good deal of time alone in their room, discovering each other and what they enjoyed, even learning more about themselves. It was one of these nights that James brought up what had been eating at his mind, and the couple soon ironed out what they hoped were the last major kinks in this new relationship.

Persian quickly learned to walk away and go find something to amuse himself with whenever he heard the distinctive sounds of their 'activities' when approaching the door. It was times like that he both hated and yet greatly appreciated his superior sense of hearing.

At their vacation's end they boarded a plane yet again, this time bound for the huge, bustling city of Goldenrod, and it was there in the airport lobby that the trio was huddled together in their out-of-the-way corner plotting their next move.

"Alright team," said Jessie, "Like we discussed on the way, priority number one is finding a temporary place to stay until we can nab a more permanent residence."

Looking around, James asked, "How are we going to find one?"

"Hows about right 'ere?" Persian suggested, holding up a small, thick guide-book in his jaws.

"Where'd you get that?" said Jessie.

Persian rolled his eyes, "At de tourism stand we walked past on de way in. One of us has te tink ahead."

Choosing to ignore his sarcastic tone, Jessie snatched the booklet from Persian and replied, "Great work! Now then, let's see...hotels, motels...ah-ha! Here's some lovely places down-town!"

James peered over her shoulder, "Wait-they want how much?! No no no no..."

"What's yer issue?!" grumbled Persian, Jessie's irritated expression signaling her agreement with the Pokemon's sentiment.

With a frustrated sigh, James responded, "While it's true that we have a lot of money for the moment," spreading his hands he continued, "Like I've already said, if we blow a lot of it now, how will we start our business? How will we finance all the things we'll need? Let's face it; that chunk of cash is all we have until we start generating our own! I mean..."

He felt his words might have been a touch hypocritical as he remembered the tiny, velvet box hidden in the bottom of his suitcase...

One day while perusing the shopping district of the island resort while Jessie and Persian were at the spa for the fourth time, a small, bright flash had caught his eye from a shop window. Pausing, he had looked toward it only to realize he had stopped in front of a jewelry store, and that that flash had been the tropical sun glinting off of a delicate, flawless diamond ring. He stood staring at it, startled at the singular, unexpected thought running through his mind. The store owner wandered out to cheerfully ask him if he was interested in seeing or purchasing anything, and snapped from his spell, James had quickly sputtered an excuse to leave and strode away. He spent the rest of the day slowly wandering the island's paths and back streets, heart racing and head a mess of various emotions, finally stopping on the boardwalk to sit and stare out over the ocean as the molten sun slowly sank into the water.

Slowly, he began to make up his mind, and at the moment he did, leapt to his feet with a hearty half-laugh, half-sob, startling several nearby people, not that he noticed as he took off at a full-speed run. Skidding to a halt in front of the jewelry store, he managed to dart inside just as the owner was beginning to close up for the night. A short time later, he re-emerged, clutching a small box wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon against his chest, tears in his eyes and a huge smile across his face.

He paused to look up at the rising moon, "This time, I know I'm making the right decision..."

Jessie stared at her partner, waiting for him to continue as he had seemingly stopped mid-sentence, a glazed, faraway look in his eyes. Finally she lost her patience and snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Hello? Earth to James? You still with us?"

"Oh!" he yelped, yanked back to the here-and-now, "Y-yeah! Sorry. Anyway, we should probably go with a more inexpensive, modest place."

Persian gave a resigned sigh, "I gotta admit, ya got a good point, Jimmy."

"Fine, fine...we'll get a cheaper place. It is only temporary, after all," Jessie finally agreed, flipping through the booklet a bit more, "Here we go! This place seems nice! Let's go guys!"

It didn't take them long to get down-town from the airport, and from there they took another trolley to a small, quiet neighborhood away from the main bustle of center city to search for their chosen hotel. After a little walking, and several wrong turns, ("Dis stupid place really is a maze!" Persian had whined), they finally found the place-a large, several-story brick building with intricate concrete scrolls along the corners and roof-line. The brick facade was ancient and stained with years of rain and weather, thick swathes of ivy clinging to it's sides.

"Well! This looks..." said James, waving his hand in a circular motion as he sought the right word.

"Like somethin' from a horror movie?" Persian offered.

Jessie again chose to ignore him, snapping their guide-book shut and declaring, "Since we went through all the trouble to find this place, we might as well suck it up and stay here. Let's just hope there's no...Litwicks around..." she added in a quieter tone, then stepped up to the front door and swung it open.

Her companions shuddered, then followed her inside.

Upon entering the lobby, they stopped and gaped at the lush interior, it's warmth and grandeur sharply contrasting the stark outside. Delicate, scrolled wallpaper covered the walls, well-built, expensive-looking furniture was scattered about the room, the marble floor tiles shone and thick, plush carpets were underfoot. A wide spiral staircase snaked up one side of the room to the upper floors, a large fireplace took up part of one wall, and in the middle of the ceiling a shimmering, elaborate crystal chandelier hung from a long brass chain.

Jessie dropped her suitcase and clasped her hands together, eyes shining, "This-this place is divine!" she gushed, "I can't believe they only want five-hundred a night!"

"Reminds me a bit too much of the west entrance of my parent's mansion..." grumbled James.

"Or a haunted mansion," Persian's ears perked up, "I hear someone in dat back room dere!"

He pointed with one paw to a tall, wooden door upon which was a metal plaque that read 'Management's Office' behind the high, intricately carved front desk, and indeed, voices could be heard from the other side.

Walking up to the desk, Jessie plucked up the heavy brass bell sitting there and rang it. For a moment there was no response, the only sound being the bell's echo as it bounced off of the walls and high ceilings. Then they heard a loud creaking sound, and looked up to see the door swing open, then shut again-but no one could be seen. Immediately they felt the hairs on the backs of their necks stand up.

"D-did youse two see dat?!" Persian fearfully whispered, backing up a couple steps.

The two humans nodded and, like Persian, had taken several steps back as they instinctively reached for each other.

Jessie gulped loudly "Please don't t-tell me this p-place is actually-!"

Suddenly, a scratchy, high-pitched voice from seemingly nowhere appeared.

"Welcome! Can I help you?"

"Aaah!" the group cried in terror, grabbing each other in a hug, "This place really is haunted!"


	3. Finding the way

That voice spoke up again, "Oh, for heaven's sake you lot! Keep yer pants on! Heh heh heh, except maybe for you, young man-you sound pretty cute! Gimme a second, gimme a second..."

A scrapping, shuffling noise was then heard, coupled with a string of grunts and curses. Finally a tiny, very old woman popped into view above the counter-top and rested her hands upon it.

"One of these days, I gotta have this godforsaken thing cut down to size-heh heh, mine specifically," she said, glaring at the object in question, "I'm getting sick and tired of dragging a stepladder around every time I need to reach something!"

The trio glanced at each other and stepped apart, at once relived at discovering there wasn't a 'ghost' after all, as well as mildly embarrassed at themselves.

"So, let's try this again," the lady adjusted her half-rim glasses and smiled at them, "Welcome to the Woodruff Hotel! My name is Francine. How can I help you on this fine day?"

"We-we were hoping to reserve a room." said James quickly.

Francine slid a heavy book closer to herself, flipping open the thick leather cover and picking up a gold pen topped with a feather plume, "Well, you've certainly come to the right place! This hotel has been a Goldenrod landmark for decades," as she spoke she scribbled away across a page of the guest-book, "Now, first things first, I need your names."

"I'm James. James Mor...Morton." he said after having stepped closer to the counter.

Francine chuckled and threw him a wink, "You sure about that, handsome?"

Curious and quickly getting bored, Persian had found a cozy spot in front of the fireplace to curl up and groom himself, and Jessie had stepped away to study a large, antique painting.

Gesturing to her with the pen, Francine inquired, "And your wife's name?"

The couple froze in surprise at hearing this, and unwittingly made eye contact. James felt his face turn several shades of red, while Jessie gasped slightly as her heart skipped a beat. The moment quickly passed, and both of them stumbled over each others words in their attempt to explain.

"No-no no no! We're not-!"

"You see we're still-"

"It's not really-"

Francine laughed, holding up her hands, "Alright, alright, I understand! Sorry, I just assumed. My mistake. Won't happen again."

Recovering her senses sooner, Jessie darted back over and grabbed James' arm, "No hard feelings!"

"Anyway, what is you name, miss?"

"I'm Jessie!"

"Last name?"

"Smith."

Francine muttered to herself for a minute as she jotted down the info she needed, then said, "Okay then. Next, how many nights will you be staying with us?"

Jessie bit her lip and glanced at her companions, for in this time Persian had made his way back to the group.

Finally she sighed and explained, "We're not entirely sure, to be honest. You see, we just got here from-from our hometown and are looking to make a permanent home in this lovely city! But we need a place to stay while we're looking for said permanent home. So, we're not really sure how long we'll need to stay here..."

"As long as dey got food n' a soft bed I'm happy!" Persian said.

Blue eyes widening, Francine leaned over the counter slightly, "Bless my heart-! You can talk?!"

Grinning and licking a paw, Persian replied, "It's one of my many talents!"

With a giggle, Francine clapped her hands and said, "Why, in all my years, I've never met a Pokemon with such a gift! I'll tell you what; I'll put ya down for a week, and we'll go from there," she picked up a phone and barked into it, "Robert!"

Moments later, a paunchy, balding man that looked to be in his mid-forties scrambled into the room, adjusting his uniform as he did so, "Y-yes Mrs. Woodruff?!"

James noted the name and wondered aloud, "Mrs. Woodruff...? The same name as the hotel?"

"Aaah yes. You see," Francine waved a hand to indicate their surroundings, "My husband and his family were the ones who opened and ran this place for years. When he passed away, he left everything to me. I've tried to give it back to the family a couple times, but they want nothing to do with it anymore," she took a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed her eyes, "It's quite sad. But in any case, my dear Arthur also left me a substantial savings account so I wouldn't have to worry about a thing. But enough about all that. Robert, would you show our guests to their room? I need to get back to my soap operas."

She tossed him a set of keys, "And don't get lost. Again."

"N-no chance, Mrs Woodruff! I learned my lesson!" the man said with a bow, then turned to the trio, "Can I help you with your bags? Oh! Right! And-and follow me!"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robert led them up the spiral staircase, huffing from the weight of the bags but insisting he was fine, and led them down a couple hallways until they reached one of the heavy doors that lined said halls. He struggled with one of the keys for a moment before eventually getting it to work and threw the door open with a flourish.

"Welcome to your room!" he said with a proud grin.

Jessie stepped past him and gave a squeal of delight. The room they had been given was as elaborate and finely decorated as the lobby.

She danced further inside, throwing open the red silk drapes to let in the sunlight before throwing herself onto the curtain-draped four-poster bed, "I feel like a queen!"

"Well we do our best to treat our guests like royalty, so you're in good hands, milady!" said Robert with a laugh, "Is there anything I can get for you three?"

"I think we're alright for now," replied James, taking the bags that Robert had been carrying, "Thank you. I think now we just need some rest. It's been a long day."

Robert gave a sharp salute, "You've got it, sir! If you need anything, the front desk and myself are just a phone call away! Oh, um, right, the phone is right there by the bed,"he looked up and began to count on his fingers, "Breakfast is served from eight until nine. Checkout is at noon. The front desk direct number is-"

"Sounds good! Wonderful! Thank you so much for everything! We'll see you later!" laughed James nervously as he shut the door on the still-chattering man.

Persian flopped onto an ornate rug in the middle of the room, "So now what?"

Jessie sat up, "Now we take a rest like James suggested, maybe get some food, wander a bit to get our bearings, and tomorrow the search for our own place begins!"

James sniffed himself and made a face, "My first order of business is to get a shower. After a couple days of travel, I'm quite over-do!"

"Agreed. Ya are startin' ta smell a bit ripe dere, Jim!" Persian casually said.

"Thanks." he replied flatly.

"I wasn't gonna say nothin', but my superior sense o' smell says dat frankly, ya stink-"

"Listen here cat-!"

Jessie stood up and stomped one foot, "Alright! Enough, both of you! James, go get a shower. Persian, go grab us some food. Put that super-nose of yours to work," she tossed him a small money pouch which he easily caught in his teeth, "Nothing too expensive."

"N' jus whu ah you gonna du?" mumbled the Pokemon as best he could.

Jessie had already sat herself at an old writing desk after grabbing James' laptop and flipping it open, "I am going to research apartments for rent and real estate for sale. Don't be too long! And don't get lost!"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It didn't take much time, however, before Jessie sighed and closed the laptop, having had scant little luck finding what they were looking for. The fact that her stomach kept lightly growling at her every so often wasn't helping, nor were the words that kept worming their way back to the forefront of her thoughts.

"And your wife's name?"

She sighed and walked to the tall windows, undoing the latch and pulling them open, letting the cool breeze wash over her. Resting her arms on the windowsill, she leaned out slightly to observe the activity along the street below. Though this little section of the city lacked the hustle and bustle of downtown, at this hour it was nonetheless a hive of energy, with people and their Pokemon coming and going from the small shops lining the streets or simply making their way to their destinations. She watched with a sour face as a young couple at the nearby flower shop went over the baskets and buckets of various blooms. They were just close enough that Jessie could catch snippets of their conversation.

"...these mean forever and...my bouquet..."

"...the most beautiful...our wedding will be..."

With a groan, she lowered her head until her chin was resting on her arms. The thought of possibly getting married hadn't even entered her mind until Francine had assumed they already were. Was it too soon to think of such a thing? They had, after all, only recently re-met. But, she mused, they had already known each other for so long before that-did those couple years apart really count all that much?

"Well we certainly never 'knew' each other the way we do now..." she found herself muttering aloud with a grin.

Her smile fell away again as she continued to think. This was James she was talking about, she realized, and though he was certainly a braver and more confident man than he used to be, she wasn't sure if he had changed that much-this was the same person who had declared several times that he would never marry-after all, he had been tormented and abused by the woman he was 'supposed' to marry, and she knew that he still bore the mental, not to mention physical, scars of that abuse.

Suddenly a swarm of Hoppip, caught in an errant updraft, zipped by the window so close that one bounced off of her head. She gave a yelp of surprise, swatting it away as she stumbled back into the room a few steps. Unfazed, the small Pokemon cheerfully trilled and swooped upward to rejoin it's companions.

"Stupid, useless Hoppips!" grumbled Jessie.

It was then, away from all the noise outside, that her ears caught another sound, and she had to pause and listen to decipher what it was. Quickly she realized what she was hearing; it was James, singing in the shower. Another moment, and she knew what it was he was singing. Her hand unconsciously clenched and moved to her heart as the memory came back to her...

It had been soon after their upgrade to full-fledged agents of Team Rocket. After a day's successful mission, they had picked up their payment and decided to stop at a local bar, in disguise of course, for a celebratory round of drinks. The place had happened to be having their karaoke night, and after a couple shots, James had insisted they participate. Meowth had immediately rejected the notion, as had Jessie, but after another rum-and-cola, had finally given in to her giddy mood and James' pleading, puppy-dog eyes. Stumbling up to the microphone, the two humans chose a then-popular pop song to do, modifying it slightly to fit themselves. Full of alcohol and over-confidence they butchered the poor tune, but nonetheless regarded it as their second victory that day.

Jessie's hand was still over her chest as she listened to the words she hadn't heard in years.

"No matter where, my heart's in your hands...no matter what, baby, we got a plan-ah!"

A loud clatter was heard, followed by a string of curses in which she could just pick out him yelling, "Stupid shower caddy!"

She snorted with laughter and felt her pain begin to ease. Officially married or not, again this was James, her James-quirks, clumsiness, flaws and all, and she knew that her heart belonged with his. Things between them were just really getting rolling; they had plenty of time. Besides, there was no telling if said time would change his, or her, mind. 'Maybe I'll ask him sometime!' she mused. After another moment's thought she decided she could use a shower as well, and began unbuttoning her blouse as she approached the bathroom door...


End file.
